The present invention relates to a method for generating identification symbols, numbers or codes for authenticating goods or the like, which provides multiple levels of security among agents, vendors, sub-vendors and customers.
In many regions of the world, the widespread sale and distribution of counterfeit goods presents a tremendous problem to the manufacturer of the authentic goods. One known technique for preventing counterfeiting is to provide the authentic goods with identification numbers or marks which cannot be readily copied. For example, it is known to mark goods with randomly selected ID numbers which, because of their random selection, arguably cannot be predicted or anticipated by a counterfeiter. Unfortunately, it is well known in cryptography that randomly selected numbers are not truly random. Thus, without proper measures, it is possible for counterfeiters to determine the pattern of "random" generation, and thereby defeat the random marking system.
Even if the random ID numbers could not be predicted, other security problems can nevertheless enable counterfeiters to acquire this set of numbers. In particular, the manufacturer of the goods has knowledge of the randomly selected, valid ID numbers, and the list of ID numbers may also be provided to resellers of the goods so that they may confirm the authenticity of the goods. Under these circumstances, it is often not difficult for a counterfeiter to obtain the list of valid ID numbers in an illegitimate manner.
In view of the foregoing, a need therefore exists for an improved method for marking goods to prevent counterfeiting which employ numbers or codes that cannot be readily predicted nor detected by potential counterfeiters.